L'Arc en Ciel
by Ookami-Kisanagii
Summary: A young adventure named Arc has been wondering the land of Britannia for a long time, always looking for something exciting, but it never came... Until she comes across a strange group of criminals, The Seven Deadly Sins. Being an outcase since birth, will she struggle or will she fit in amoungs the different species like herself. (Disclaimer: I do NOT own nanatsu no Taizai) OC
1. Prologue

_The main thing that you have to remember on this journey is, just be nice to everyone and always smile. -_ _ **Ed Sheeran**_

Prologue: The Sky's the Limit

The forest… calm, tranquil and serene, it's like that on many occasions. It's also home to many creatures in the world; animals, insects, humans, fairies and other mythical monsters of the Lore. It protects us from the world; from prying eyes, from danger and it's really good at keeping things hidden.

It's also where I live…

Early morning and the sun is just starting to peek over the distance mountain tops. As sunlight hits my eyes, I start to stir awake. Lazily, I pull myself from the pile of dry leaves I used as a makeshift bed. Warmth from the sun greats me as I stretch to a sitting position and rub the sleep out of my eyes. I look down threw half lidded eyes to the small campfire I had constructed last night. Small embers are all that remains with a small line of smoke that barely reaches the first branch of any tree. It was another peaceful night of sleep for me, again. But… not all nights are as lucky as last night.

I pull myself to my feet and start walking sleepily towards the nearest stream of water that I could hear. Manoeuvring over some large trunks and rocks I finally made it to a stream. As I kneeled down, I started to clean myself for the day ahead of me. "Today is going to be a special day. I can just feel it." I smiled as I looked at my reflection.

What looked back at her was a beautiful young girl. She had long teal hair that travelled down to her knees, big orange eyes that fluttered with long dark lashes. As she reached to dip her hands and feet in the stream she worked on getting any dirt out from under her tiny claws. Next she proceeded to wash her large furry ears and tall branch-like horns. And finally she groomed her tail. Long and furry as it was it took almost just as long to brush her hair. Who is this strange girl that I speak of?

She is none other than Arc.

I can't say too much about myself, but I do know that I am the only being of my kind left. I am a dragonkin. Half human, half dragon. We tend to live around a thousand years and are natural born with incredible strength and speed. Other naturally born features include a good sense of smell and hearing. And if you were wondering, yes, I can breathe fire and fly. I'm roughly around 180 years old, which would work out to be around 18 in human years and stand to be about 5'3.

Once I was finished cleaning myself up, and braiding the ends of my parted hair, I backtracked to my temporary campsite. As I kicked my feet off the ground, I started floating back.

You're probably thinking to yourself 'Why are you in the forest, Arc?' Long story, short, people don't tend to feel too comfortable when I'm around them. They look at me and see… a monster. So it's safer for me to hide myself amongst the trees, away from civilization. But every so often I do feel the need to explore a town or two.

After landing back around my campsite I started to prepare my belongings. There wasn't much since I always travel light, just my pouches that I clipped around my belt and my handmade robe. The robe reaches down to cover my hips, white in color with gold rims around the arms, hood and waist. It's specialty? It has long bunny ears. Why? Well… It's kinda hard to convince people that there are no horns under here. So with long ear accessories people don't tend to question… maybe just my sense of style. Plus! It's great to cover my ears. Hiding my tail is easy to. Just gotta curl it up into the robe and voila! Normal looking human girl.

Before leaving I made sure to douse the embers with earth, to prevent any forest fires from happening. Once I was all geared up I began to float to the edge of the forest. "Gotta find a road to follow…" I murmured as I glided around trees.

It didn't take me long to find an opening. As I got closer to a clearing I made sure to settle down myself before walking out. Don't wanna startle any passerby. As I walked out into the open I found myself in a shepherd field. A herd of goats were scattered around the hillsides, grazing. "If I walk through this pastor, I should come to a road." I nodded as I began to walk through some tall grass. The fields were long, but it was a nice enough day to take a stroll. Barely any clouds in the sky and the sun hung over the mountains with a lovely brightness to it.

I stopped for a moment to search my surroundings when I suddenly felt something brush against my leg. "Bahhh…" It was a little goat. "Hey, little fella. I hope I didn't disturb your breakfast?" I bent my knees to kneel to his level as I reached my hand out to pat his head. He didn't seem to mind. "Aren't you a cutie." I smiled. "Heeeeeey! Maybe you can help me find a road. Seen anything that looks close to one?" I asked. At first he seemed a little puzzled at my question, but he eventually turned around and nudged his head to follow him. "I hope you know where were going." But I simply just shrugged my shoulders and followed closely behind him.

After climbing over a couple of hills I could finally make out what looked to be a dirt road. "Alright!" I chirped as I bounced my way to the edge of the road. Once there I turned around, leaning forward I gave a big smile to the small goat, my fangs showing. "Thanks you so much for your help, Mr. Goat." His eyes seem to bulge his eyes out of his head once he got a good look at me. I feared he'd run away, but he seem to relax and wave his tail. "Bahhh…" He sounded before turning back to return to the others. "Bye-bye!" I waved before continuing my walk down the road.

I was curious as to where my travels would lead me today. Hopefully a village. It's been a while since I've surrounded myself with people and I'm feeling pretty good today. Most times when I visit a nearby dwelling I'm usually pretty skilled at keeping my appearance a secret. Only a few minor mishaps in the past got me chased out. But it always seem like the adults are the ones always causing the fuss, never the children. "Man, I wish humans would have some decent manners." I sighed.

In the distance my ears perked as I picked up a familiar sound. Coming from behind me was a wagon. From what I could tell it had only a single passenger. I decided to move off the road and allow the man to pass. As he neared I heard the galloping of the horse's feet thunder by me. I tried not to stare as I continued to walk. "Woah!" I heard as I looked up towards the rider. He had stopped. "Hi there!" He called out to me as he waved me down, leaning over his wagon. I cautiously approached him. He was a middle aged man with short brown hair and wore an outfit that screamed farmer. "What's a young girl like you doing out here all by yourself?" He asked.

"I'm traveling around." I answered.

"Where about are you headed?"

"Wherever the wind takes me." I smiled.

"Well if you're looking for the next town you'll reach it by sundown on foot. It's quite the walk."

"Thanks, that's good to know." I bowed before walking off.

"W-wait-"He stuttered, sounding nervous. "I'd feel pretty bad knowing I just left you behind by yourself. I've traveled these roads often. There not terribly dangerous in these parts, but lately some bandits have been picking on lonesome people. Why don't I give you a lift?" He offered.

"Oh no-" I waved my hands in embarrassment. "I couldn't possibly. Beside I don't really have anything I could pay you with. "

"Nonsense, it would be my pleasure. You can ride in the back." He pointed to his cargo.

I pondered for a moment to analyse this man. He didn't seem dangerous… and my senses aren't alarming me. Maybe I should take him up on his offer… But I could easily get to the next town if I decided to fly; I would wait till he was out of site, of course. Then again, it has been a while since I've socialized with anyone. "Okie dokie! I'll take you up on that offer, Mister-"

"Henry. You may call me Henry." He offered out his hand to aid me onto his wagon. I graciously took it and settle into the back.

As I sat down in nest of hay I notice a bunch of product around me. Baskets of eggs, jugs of milk, blankets of wool and a large pile of bagged grain. Yup… definitely a farmer. There were even some chickens cooped up in a small pen. "Heading out to make a delivery?" I decided to ask as I sat on my knees and peered out the front of the wagon to converse, my hands holding onto the wooden frame.

"That's right. I make trade between my village and the next. Been doing this job for that last 15 years. Me and old Bailey here." He patted his horse from behind as she made a responsive naying sound.

"That's a long time. _Well… for humans maybe._ Got a family back home?" I asked as I rested my head on my arms.

"Yup! A wife and two kids." He sounded pretty proud of himself. I sat there listening diligently to Henry tale about his life. He sounded happy and content about where he was, working hard every day to put food on the table.

As he turned into another valley he started off on a much more serious tale. "Lately this country has seen better days." He sounded a little grim about the subject. But my ear perked under my cloak and I sat in closer to listen what he had to say. "I'd watch yourself around these parts. Remember when I told you about the bandits? Well… there more than just bandits to worry about." His hands tighten around his reins. "Ever heard of the Seven Deadly Sins? _Seven Deadly sins?"_ Nope, never. "They're group of criminals, powerfully ones, that uses to serve the king of this land. About 10 years ago they had tried to over throw the kingdom of Liones. _Liones?"_ His expression darken. "A while back I heard they were all killed. But rumors, speculation and posters have been popped up lately in a lot of towns saying that they have return."

"Are these criminals doing bad things again?"

"So far, all I've heard is that some Holy Knights have come across them."

"Did they hurt the knights?"

"I'm not sure…" He shook his head unknowing. "If you're traveling just be careful. It probably would be bad if you ever came across any of those monstrous villains. _Monstrous…I don't really like that word. I wonder if these criminals are ugly?"_

"I'll make sure to watch myself more carefully then." I reassured him as I looked onward towards the horizon. "So… When do we hit the next town?" I asked starting to get anxious. I've been sitting on my butt for the last half hour.

"See for yourself." Henry chimed as he lashed his reins to make Bailey move fast. The wagon carried us over another large hill until we reached the top. Once there, I looked down the road pass some treetops and saw a small hurdle of houses, fields and a giant boulder in the center of the valley. "Welcome to Baizel!" Henry gestured for me to sit next to him to get a better look. I climb out and sat on the plank of wood before admiring the view from up high. "It may seem small, but it a huge tourist attraction. They like to hold their annual fighting festival." Henry said as he commanded his horse to stop.

"A FIGHTING FSTIVAL!?" I became excited. It's been a long time since I went to a festival. I also really enjoy watching people display their strength. I being one of them. My curiosity always gets the better of me. "Can anyone participate in this tournament?" I asked before I even realize I was asking.

"Yup! I've seen many fighters come from all over the place to show off. We even had a year with giants in it."

"GIANTS!?"

"Yes, but that only lasted one year since… well, they kinda caused a lot of damage to the village back then. Ever since they've been banned from the tournament." He scratched his head with a sigh as he remembered the year when the giants came. A shiver ran down his spine.

"What a shame…" I pouted. Henry seemed a little concerned about my reaction.

"You're not thinking of entering… are you?" I better play it cool so I don't worry him.

"Nooooo… Of course not." I smiled as I pretended to wave the ridiculous idea away. "I just like being a spectator."

"Oh, good." He sighed. "Would you like me to drop you off at the Inn?"

"Actually-" I suddenly jumped off the wagon. "I think I'll walk the rest of the way. I wanna get a good look at the area." I smiled as I rested my hands on my hips.

"Are you sure?" He seemed weary to leave me behind.

"Absolutely! Thank you so much for the ride, Henry." I bowed to show him my respect.

"Well… if you insist. I'll be lodged up in town for a couple of days while I work on my trades. If you ever need any help, come find me." At that moment I felt a warm ping struck my chest. It was kindness. It's been a while since I last received it from a human… It's a nice feeling. I couldn't stop the corners of my mouth from stretching upwards into a gentle smile.

"Ok, I will." I said comfortingly. Henry waved me down before turning his attention to his horse, but something caught his eyes.

"Hmmm…? I don't remember this tavern being here? I was only here about two weeks ago?" He questioned as he stared at a cone shaped hut. "Why have a bar all the way out here?" He couldn't seem to figure it out. "Argh!" He scratched his head. "I don't have time for this." He whined as he clicked his tongue to signal his horse to start moving down the road. And just like that, Henry was gone.

"Henry… I'll make sure to put him on my 'good-people' list." I made sure to straighten up my appearance before heading down the hill. I turned to look at the hut one last time before leaving. "The Boar's Hat, eh? What a funny name."

Hey, Everyone! **I've been meaning to start writing this fanfiction for a long time now and just haven't gotten around to it until now. This story is about my Original Character for the series of Nanatsu no Taizai. Now, I will warn you I am no pro at writing so I apologize in advance. I hope you enjoy it! I always appreciate some good old fashion R &R XP **

**PEACE!**


	2. Chapter 1

_Coming together is a beginning; keeping together is progress; working together is success. –- Henry Ford_

Chapter 1: Coming Together! The Fighting Festival Begins

A flea market, that what humans called a giant cluster of merchants trying to sell you almost anything for a good profit. Tents and booths were lining up the lively streets of the small town of Baizel. As I walked through the busy crowd, bobbing and weaving, many venders would try their best to attract my attention. Anything could have been bought here, from jeweler, clothes, weapons, armor and other items that most would consider junk. Luckily small trinkets and weapons weren't a necessary for me. Extra baggage would only slow me down. The only thing that tickled my fancy was this so called 'fighting tournament'.

"Now… Where do I sign up for this tournament?" I searched as well as I could without flying around. But I seem to be at a loss. We little human contact all this hustle and bustling activities had me excited. So far my disguise was a success. No one could tell what or who I was. With a determine smile I decided to talk to one of the locals merchant. "Excuse me-"

"WELCOME!" Came a booming voice from behind the counter that was filled with herbs and spices. "Looking for anything particular? I just came across this rare species of plant that is said to cure any itchiness." He was a large brawny male with dark eyes and a short brown hair cut. He wore clothing that looked as if they were about to tear from his over sized muscle.

"No, I'm sorry. I'm not here to shop. I'm actually looking for-" His demeanor suddenly changed to a scowl.

"If you ain't here to shop then get lost kid." He shooed me away before turning his attention to another young couple that approached.

 _Rude._ I though as I turned tailed with an obvious pout. _Next booth. "_ Pardon me-"

"This shield is bound to keep you safe!" _Nope._

"Could you help me-"

"You look like you could use a pair of shoes!" _Don't wear shoes._

"Miss! Have you ever heard of-"

"Those nails are a disaster. With this concoction they'll even make that cutie over there give you a second glance!" _Not helping._

"Sir-"

"FRESHLY MADE BAGUETTES! Her little lady, this one on the house."

"ARGH!?" I groan very loudly at my frustration as I sank down to the ground near a small water fountain. I threw my hands behind me to grasp onto the stony edge of the fountain, making sure not to damp my loaf of bread. "Why are humans to blind and ignorant?" I sighed as I hung my head back, closing my eyes. "Won't even take the time out of their day to listen to a simple conversation." I took a lazy bite out of my baguette. _Hmm… not bad._ As I pulled myself together after my snack I needed to come up with a better plan to get someone to talk to me…?

"WATCH OUT! RUNAWAY WAGON!" Screamed someone in the crowd. Everyone became hyper aware of the situation and started to scrabble away from the danger. I shot to my feet as I scanned my surrounding. In the distance on top a hill of tents a large coachless wagon was wheeling down through a dodging crowd of people. I wasn't in any direct danger since the wagon seemed to be speeding towards the side of someone house. Nothing more than some property damage and a very soon-to-be angry house owner… No. WAIT!

"NO! MY SON!" Screeched a very desperate young woman, who was nowhere near her child. A small boy could be seen cowering in fear as he was to shock to move from the wall directly in the path of the howling wagon. The young mother was hurrying as fast as she could, but wasn't gonna come close to reaching her son.

Without thinking I moved. With my speed I was able to move from the fountain to the boy in a blink of an eye. Wrapping the boy in my one arm I didn't wait another second to outstretch the other arm and stop the wagon cold in its track from impacting. With the sudden force of the stop a cloud of dust from the ground covered the area and my vision became obscured. I could hear the crowd quickly approaching as the dust settled. I coddle the child with soothing whispers of comfort to assure him everything was going to be alright.

"TIMOTHY!" Cried the boy's mother as she came through the settling cloud of dust. I immediately passed her the small child as she wrapped him in her arms and trembled to the ground in relief. All around me the crowd roared with cheers. _Now they're giving me the time of day._ But to have so many people paying attention all at once made me kinda shy. I pulled the top of my cloak down to cover my face, but that didn't stop the small smirk that peeled over my expression. "Thank you for saving my son." The mother thanked as she pulled my attention away from the crowd. She finally rose to her feet again and settled her son down, holding onto his little hand.

"No problem. It's against my nature to allow someone as innocent as him get hurt." _Would have left a bad taste in my mouth._

"Allow me to gift you with something. Anything you desire. Money? Clothes? A place to sleep?" She started shuffling into her skirt pocket, but I stopped her before she could reward me with anything.

"Actually I could really use some directions. Mind pointing me the right way?" From behind I could hear that the gentlemen who allowed the wagon to run loss had arrived at the scene. The local merchants were giving him a hard time.

"Of course. Please, my house is just around the corner. I'd like to invite you for tea." She pulled at my wrist to follow her.

"Oh no, I couldn't-" I started to pull back but my other wrist got caught by her tiny son. He looked me in the eyes and insisted that I go with them. I was still a little reluctant in following them, but I ended up letting them take me to their home. Once inside I did a quick survey of the home. It was small, with a large living area with the kitchen attached, two small rooms in the back and a small closet size bathroom. The young mother gestured for me to take a seat and I awkwardly sat down on the stool across the table from her, my hand laid neatly across my lap.

"Please, relax and make yourself comfortable while I prepare the tea." She started opening cupboards and pulling out ingredient for tea as she boiled a pot of water. "My name is Marie-Anne and the little one staring at you from behind is my son, Timothy." Over my shoulder I peeked at Timothy, who was indeed staring at me with an intense look. He was probably around the age of 10. He had short black hair and was sporting a fancy white shirt with brown short and wore buckled shoes. Marie-Anne herself was quite fetching herself. She was young, mid 20, and had long straight light brown hair. She wore a black blouse with a long red skirt that reached her ankles. Small brown slip-on for shoes "Your cloak must be warm? Why not remove it?" She asked and my hand flew to the top of my head.

"Oh! Ahhhh… I'm kinda – umm – having a bad hair day?" _That was THE lamest excuse ever. Like she gonna believe that._ But she merely chuckled.

"Very well, whatever makes you feel the most comfortable." She came around the table and past me a small blue teacup with some sugar and cream. "Now, why don't you tell me where you're trying to go?"

"I'm looking for the tournament." She gave me a perplexed look. "I was told it was somewhere in Baizel." As the kettle started to whistle Marie-Anne move the pot off the fire. She placed a small cloth in the center of the table and settled the kettle down.

"You've heard correctly." She sat back down. "Please, help yourself." She waved to the tea.

"Thank you." As I reached to pour myself a cup I was suddenly struck with a strange tingling sensation from behind. "EKK!" When I turned I saw that Timothy was clutching my tail.

"It's so fluffy!" He chimed as he rubbed his face in it, hugging it close to him. _MY TAIL!? How long has it been hanging out?_

"Hey, kid." I whispered in closely. "That's not a toy." He didn't seem to be listening since he only squeezed harder and it made my whole body tingling. My ears starter to twitch under my cloak.

"Timothy, stop that. It's rude." Marie-Anne said firmly to her son as he shied away from me, apologizing. I quickly hid my tail back up into my cloak, but judging by the mother's face she knew something was up. I tensed as I slowly lowered my cup and readied myself for a sprint to the door. "I apologize for my son's behavior. He's never met someone with a tail." I looked at her with suspicion, my brows drawn in close, but she simply continued to smile at me with both hands crossed on the table. "We all have secrets to hide."

"I don't mean you, or your son, any harm." I said calmly as I laid one hand on the table, either to assure her or ready to flee I wasn't sure yet.

"I believe you." _She does?_ I was surprised.

"Why?"

"Because you saved my son and didn't ask me for any reward; besides information, of course. Please… relax and have some tea. I promise I won't tell anyone." I gave her a hard long look before my face relaxed and I was certain this woman wasn't lying. I decided to finally have that cup of tea. "Is that the reason why you're hiding under that cloak?"

"Yes…" I brought the cup up to my face, blowing off the steam, before taking a careful sip. _It's good._

"My offer from before still stands, you're welcome to remove your cloak." I understand that she was only trying to reassure me that she trust me, but…

"I fear that my appearance will startle you and your son. I feel safer with this on." I tugged at my hood. Marie-Anne gave me a stern look of her own for a while before she sighed and returned with her smile.

"I understand. I won't push you to do something that makes you feel uncomfortable." She went ahead and poured herself a cup of tea. Her son came over and asked for a cup as well. Never seen a kid put so much sugar in his tea like I do. I cracked a smile as I took another sip of my sweet drink. "Now, you said you're looking for the fighting tournament?" She finally returned to the subject at hand.

"Yes." I gave her a quick nod.

"I'm guessing you aren't here to watch, are you? By the way you stop that wagon I'm thinking you're looking to enter." _Smart lass._

"That's right." I took the last drop of my drink before setting it on the table. I heard her take a deep sigh from across the table.

"I'd usually try and persuade people away from such a barbaric event, but I don't think you'll take no for an answer." I shook my head in reply. "I thought so. Very well… If you head to the eastern most part of town you'll find a huge boulder. That will be the stadium." _I believe I remember seeing a large rock from atop the mountain?_ "Once there, I believe you'll find what you're looking for." _Finally a lead._

"That is exactly what I wanted to hear." I was starting to get excited again as my heart started to race and my ears perked under the cloak. With a determine spark I hopped off the stool. "Thank you so much for everything." I turned and bowed my head in respect. Marie-Anne stood from her seat and nodded.

"I wish you all the luck for today. Please be careful out there." I could see the worry in her face. Timothy also rushed over, after place his tea down abruptly, and grasped my hand.

"Please be careful Miss." I smiled down warmly at the boy before I knelled down next to him.

"Don't worry, I'm pretty tough." I flexed my right arm up and slapped it with my left. Before I could stand back up to leave the boy suddenly hugged me. _Ahh… That strange warm feeling again. It must be kindness._ I could feel my cheeks pinked before I pulled away. "Thank kid…" I said as I waved good-bye and left the tiny abode.

I hurried myself as fast as my leg would take me, _without using my actual speed,_ and made my way east. The closer I got the heavier the crowd became and the bigger the boulder came into view. Once I got to the base I was awe struck. It looked to be over 15 ft tall and was connected to the mountainside. A small bridge could be seen at the top with a hut built scaling off the side. As I rounded the corner of the boulder I caught site of something hugely unusual. "WOAH!" My eyes bulged. "WHAT IS THAT!?" Scaling the side of the giant rock was a huge war hammer. I staggered back a bit just so I could glimpse the whole weapon. _Who would need a weapon THAT big? And who'd take the time out of their day to build it?_

"It's called Gideon." From behind, a male approached me. He was about 6 ft tall and had a nice build to him. He was also sporting a wicked blond pompadour. "A specially made weapon for war. Crafted perfectly for a giant." _Giants again?_ "Whoever wins the tournament get to go home with this puppy."

"Good luck dragging that thing through your front door." I sarcastically said as I turned back to look at the hammer. _Even with my own strength the best I'd do is knock it over._

"GENTLEMEN! THIS IS YOUR LAST CHANCE TO SIGN UP FOR THE TOURNAMENT!" Screamed a tiny little man as he bounced around to attract the other competitors.

"Opps! Better go sign in." As the tall blonde male starter to walk away he turned back to look at me. "If I win all the matches I'll make sure to give ya this pose, little lady." He gave a big confident grin with a thumps up before disappearing. I simply gave him a dubious look.

"Better go wait in line." I must have arrived late since most of the participants were in waiting. I could tell everyone was ready to bring their A game. Some were chatting among themselves and other seemed to be threatening others, scaring them away, or at least trying. I also notice there was another young female standing behind me in line. _Good. At least I won't be the only female in the tournament._ "I'd like to enter, please?" I announced as I finally made it to the front where the tiny man was. He didn't seem to notice I was even there, too busy checking who-knows-what on that clip board of his. I impatiently cleared my throat.

"Huh? What do you want, kid?" He said looking over his clip board.

"I'd like to enter the tournament, please?"

"Get lost Shorty, this ain't no play ground. I'll let you know when the JUNIOR division is in town next." He shooed me away and went back to ignoring my present.

"Why you-" I grated as my crawls grew sharp with annoyance. But before I could threaten him someone step in close behind me.

"Hey now, that's not very nice." Chimed a man. _Woah!_ This male was TALL, taller than the last guy. He had to be over 7 ft. He towered over me, staring me down with thick red eyes, and I subconsciously grouched down. _Is he wearing an apron?_ "If she wants to enter then what's the harm?" The small man wearing the helmet met the man's gaze and was just as flabbergast as me. He cleared his throat.

"I'm merely saying that someone as _**weak**_ looking as her shouldn't enter." He huffed.

"You son of a -" Before I could lung at the imp the taller man put his hand between us.

"What's wrong? Scared she might actually bring in the crowd?" He challenged with a snarky grin. I looked on between the two as they stare each other down for a few second, noticing the large scar going down the taller man's face and neck, eventually the smaller one sighed.

"Name?" He looked at me.

"Ahh…A-Arc!" He lazily scribbled what I hoped was my name.

"Don't say I didn't warn ya." He said before shooing me away from the line again. As I collected myself I waited to thank the apron-wearing male.

"Excuse me…" I caught his attention while he left the line. "Thanks, for sticking up for me." He shoved his hands in the aprons pocket and knelled down to my eye level.

"No problem, sweet heart. But just so you know if we bump heads in the fight I won't go easy on ya." He gave me a devilish smile. I returned the favor with my own cocky smile. He winked at me before walking away, whistling a cheery tune, before joining back up with two other males. One blond headed kid and another with a large green… pillow? _This tournament is gunna have some interesting people in it._

"ALRIGHT! THE BALLET IS NOW CLOSED!" Screamed the tiny helmet man who was now standing on top a stack of barrels. "LET THE TOURNAMENT **BEGIN**!"

 **Hey Everyone! Thanks so much to those who are following this story. It means a lot to me. Really it does. I'd also like to point out that this story will be following along side the manga/book version. Not the anime. So some things might be different then the show. I hope you continue to enjoy this story to the fullest. R &R is you wish! PEACE!**


	3. Chapter 2

_When you have confidence, you can have a lot of fun. And when you have fun, you can do amazing things. -_ _ **Joe Namath**_

Chapter 2: A Handful of Strength

It was nearing midday, the sun hung high in the sky, and all the contestants were pumped to start the tournament. Everyone was directed to the top of the giant boulder. Many were pushing and shoving to get to the top. Once there, the crowd gather and spread out around the outside of the elevated arena.

"Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the annual Baizel Fighting Festival. I am your referee Love Helm." Boomed the tiny man with the helmet as he jumped up on the stage and made a little pose, with hips out and waving a peace sign. "The rules for the preliminary round are simple… Knock your opponents out of this ring. The last remaining fighters will advance to the next round." His hand lined the rim of the stage. "Throwing, pushing, and sending them flying with your fist are all acceptable. As long as your bare hands are involved you're A-ok. Any other means of knocking your opponent out, like any weapons, will result in immediate disqualification." Love Helm suddenly bent forward before flipping back out of the ring to land on some nearby barrels. They looked purposely placed there so he could observe the match. "Now then… Let's get this show on the road. Contestants please make your way on to the arena floor."

As I hoisted myself onto the stage, I made sure to get as close to the center of the ring as possible. Surprisingly there weren't as many fighters as I thought there was. _Did some people actually get sacred, tempted or bribed away? Either way, I'll have to keep my guard up. I'll also have to hold back on some of the human contestants. Don't want to accidently majorly injure someone._ I made sure to securely tighten my robe. From behind I could see that tall apron-wearing human chatting amongst those two other males from earlier. _Are they his companions? If so they may be working to win this tournament together. I'll have to be careful around them._ My gaze fell to my right. I could pick out that pompous blond gentleman from early. Just from looking I can tell that he's trained in the art of combat. _I should try to stand clear of him as well._ To my left I spotted the other female fighter. She was shrouded in mystery, but then again, so am I. _For future sake, I won't pursue her either. Hopefully we both make it to the next round. The world could use a bit more female warriors._ A small smirk painted my lips. My attention was pulled back to what was in front of me.

"Now then, without further adieu-" Love Helm raised his tiny hand into the air and my focused zeroed in on the two chatty humans in front of me. I applied force to the base of my feet, my eyes nothing more than a narrow slit, readying myself. "FIGHT!"

Without even a second thought I used my speed to shoot myself forward and push the two human males clean out of the ring. "Bye-bye!" I smiled as I made sure to aim them directly into a pile of hay at the base of the boulder. My ears twitched from under my hood, sensing someone coming at me from behind. Bending my knees, I hastily crouched down. Using my hands I twisted my body around and landed a kick square in my opponent's chest. He was a tall gangly looking male, with dusty blonde hair. Knocking the wind right out of him, he fell to the ground, gasping. Pulling myself to my feet I nudge the man with my foot, rolling him out of the ring.

 _I'm too close to the edge. I need to make my way to the center again._ I hurried myself, rushing through a frenzy of flying fists. I managed to dodge all of them, but I could tell someone was tailing me. _I need to get rid of him._ Suddenly I notice someone coming at me from the front. It was the blonde kid from earlier, the one hanging with the apron-wearing man. He's charging right at me. _Wait! He's being chased by someone himself. Will he attack me along the way?_

"DUCK!" He screamed at me. Before I could understand what was going on I subconsciously bent backwards, sliding underneath him while he jumped over me. His fist shot forwarded and knocked the man that was chasing me.

 _He helped me? But… why?_ Either way I don't have time to worry about that. As a favour I made sure to grab the ankle of the guy that was chasing the kid and swung him out of the ring, landing him amongst the spectators. As I jumped back up onto my feet I turned to look at the short blond kid. He did the same. We stood for a brief moment staring at one another before he smiled at me and waved good-bye, disappearing into the cloud of fighters. From out of nowhere I dodged a close blow to my right. Dashing back I was suddenly face to face with… him. "It's you." I clicked my tongue in irritation.

"Long time no see, sweetheart." Chimed the apron-wearing man, no hold on…! He's wearing a different outfit, a red jacket to match his red pants. It looks far too small for him. It's even showing his stomach. _Wait… what's that on his stomach?_ I focused my attention on a strange looking tattoo. _Is that a fox?_

"Woah!?" He struck at me for a second time. The forces of his punches were strong and fast. I could feel it as his fists brushed pass my cheeks. I tried to avoid him by somersaulting backwards, but he kept coming at me.

"I told ya I wouldn't go easy on you." He chuckled as he tried to restrain me, aiming for my wrist or ankles. I bounced myself off the ground and landing on a contestants shoulder with my hands. I dangled above him.

"What the fuck-" Cursed the largely build man I landed on as he struggled to stay standing.

"And I never agreed to make it easy for you to catch me." I giggled back aiming to be in the same mood as him. In fact I haven't been this excited in a long time. To feel this exhilarated and on edge is… "Breath taking."

"Easy on the complements, sweetheart, you'll make me blush." He joked as he started making his move, coming at me with lightning speed. I didn't hesitate to push the man I was balancing on into him.

"Silly. I wasn't talking about you." I laughed feeling the adrenaline pumping through my veins. "But you are pretty easy on the eyes." I winked as I notice a bunch of fighters jump out of nowhere and tackle the tall white haired male to the ground. _I highly doubt that'll work._ But it was a good distraction nonetheless. I made sure to sprint away as far as possible.

In the distance I could feel a large rumble and as I looked up I saw a large group of contestant falling from the sky. _He must have escaped and sent all those fighters fly… huh?_ As they came closer I could tell they were falling right at me. _That bastard! He purposely shoved them in my direction._ I didn't have a moment to lose. I made for a handstand and used my feet to propel my competitors away. They flew in multiple directions, some in and out of the ring. I brought myself down into a crouching position and scanned the area around me. There are only a handful of people left in the ring. This means… _The preliminary is almost over_. I pushed myself up from my knees taking a deep breath, but right as I stood I felt some fabric brush up behind me. _WHAT? Someone snuck up behind me? But how? I couldn't even sense them. Are they light on their feet?_ Upon reflex my arm shot back like a whip and knocked whoever was behind me.

"Ahhhhhhhh…" I heard someone screamed as they ricochet away from me. As I turned to look it turned out to be the other companion of the white haired man. When I observed him earlier, before the match, I sensed he was quite strong. But just now, as my arm connected, he felt like a bag of feathers. _Then how come I sensed power from him earlier? He did manage to sneak up on me without me noticing… Weird._

"TIME'S UP!?" Shouted Love Helm from across the stage. Everyone turned towards him, with the exception of the fox man who purposely pushed one last fighter over his shoulders and out of the ring. "What an outstanding performance by our fighters, ladies and gentlemen, wouldn't you say?" He made a great effort to roar up the crowd. Shouting could be heard from all around us. "It looks like we're left with 8 competitors-"

"No, wait, look over there!" Piped a by bystander as he pointed to someone. It was that kid I flung out of the ring, the one with the large green pillow. He was… floating!? I couldn't help but gape like the rest of the crowd. _C-could_ _he be another dragon? No, that's not possible. I know I'm the only one of my kind. Besides, I see no tail or horns on him. He must be from another species. My guest… he's either a fairy or a warlock._ This tournament is turning out to be full of surprises. _And I have a feeling it only gonna get better._

"That makes it 9 competitors." Yelled a random human.

"Look he's cheating." Pointed a little girl.

"That's not fair." Grumbled an elderly gentleman.

"DISQUALIFY HIM!" Yelled the crowd.

"Hmmm…It definitely is cheap, but it isn't considered a weapon! Therefore, I will allow him to continue to the next round." Love Helm formed a circle with his fingers to approve of the 9th contestant. "The main tournament will begin in a few minutes. Will all competitors please follow me to the waiting room!" He gestured his finger for us to follow. With a sigh of relief I patted myself on the shoulder. I was lucky enough that I didn't come in contact with most of the people I tried to avoid. To my excitement the other female fighter made it through. Along with the fox man and he's two companions, a drunken old man, the pompous blond guy with the wicked pompadour, and two extra large build males who both seem to have no regards for a shirt.

"Now, the real fight is about to begin." I smirked. "Things are getting exciting." And I could tell I wasn't the only one who thought so.

 **Hello, hello! Another day, another chapter. Though this one is shorter then the others I thought it was a good place to stop. I Hope you guys continue to enjoy this story. R &R is always appreciated. Till next time. PEACE! XD **


	4. Chapter 3

_Accept the things to which fate binds you, and love the people with whom fate brings together, but do so with all your heart -_ _ **Marcus Aurelius**_

Chapter 3: A Fated Lineup

It was high noon in Baizel when all of the remaining competitors of the tournament assembled inside a small house just off to the side of the arena. The 9 of us poured into the small shelter and waited for the next task. It was most likely going to turn into a one-on-one match from here on out. But as there was 9 of us left that would leave us with an uneven amount of fighters. I was curious as to how things were going to play out.

"Congratulation to all who made it past the preliminary, I salute you." Love Helm climb up on top a small bench in the room and turn to give us a bow. "The next part of the tournament will be decided with these-" He reached in behind himself and pulled out a small glass that contained a number of random sticks. "With these I will be able to determine who will be fighting who." He dug out the sticks from the glass and fanned them across his hand. Some of the sticks had colored tips at the ends. "Each stick has a twin and that twin will be your opponent for the next match. Once you've drawn your colors please make sure to show me and I'll register ya." Throwing the sticks back into the glass, he made sure to face the marked tips downward. "But since there are 9 of you I'll have to make a quick change." From out of nowhere he pulled out a black marker and colored and extra stick. "This here is the 'Freebie' stick. If anyone of you pulls it out it's an automatic free pass to the next round." The room was suddenly filled with angry shouting.

"This is an outrage. A free pass to the next round? What if the pour sap that pulls it out is just some weakling that only made it to the next round by cheating?" Huffed the large bulky male with no hair on his body as his gaze locked right onto the floating boy with the green pillow. The boy was obviously peeved by the remark that was clearly made for him.

"Now, now, settle down. Under these circumstances this is how we'll have to proceed. Everyone will get the chance to fight in this tournament, fair and square." He placed the extra stick in with the rest. "If you ain't happy with the way I managing things, there's the exit." Said Love Helm as he waved his hand in the direction of the door. The bulkier human grumbled something under his breath before becoming silence once again. No one else seemed to complain or dared to anyways. "Does anyone else have anything to say? No? Good, then we can begin. Please form a line." Once everyone single filed in front of our helmed host we each took turns pulling out our color.

Red. That was the color I pulled. Unfortunately I didn't get time to check who might have been my opponent since Love Helm scribbled down my answer and shooed me away from the line. _What I wouldn't give to smack the rude right back into his stupid-_

"Hiyah!" Startled, I jumped in my spot when someone approached me from behind. When I turned to look it was the small blond haired human from the fight. _How did he sneak up behind me without me noticing? That's twice now._

"H-Hi?" I asked, fixing my posture and turning to greet him properly.

"You know, you were pretty good out there." He smiled.

"Thanks." I made sure to pull a bit of my hood away from my face, my ears nicely tucked away, so he could see me better. "You're pretty good yourself. I thought for sure you were gunna throw me out of the ring earlier." I giggled for a playful effect.

"Naw! To be honest I was watching you fight most of the prelims. When I notice you were in a bit of a pickle I thought I'd lend you a hand." He laid one and on his hip whiles the other hand got pumped into the air.

"Ditto! That stray human behind you looked like it was nipping at your heels." I swung my arms up in behind to rest under my neck. "And here I though this tourney was going to be nothing but a bunch of muscle headed fools." I laughed and so did he. Suddenly my nose caught wind of a familiar scent standing directly behind me. I could sense his towering figure leaning in.

"Congrats on making it to the next round, sweetheart." I could feel his breath just off the side to my right, immediately I turned on my heel and spun away from him.

"You!" _Mister white haired apron-wearing man._

"Now, now, you're scaring her, buddy." His blonde haired companion tapped him on the chest. "Why don't we all just start with a simple introduction?" He brought his thump up to point at himself. "The names Meliodas. This here is Ban." His finger moved to his tall standing friend, but I also notice he was talking to me in a whisper. "And for the record, that guy flying towards us is our pal King." He pointed to his orange haired teammate.

"Hey, cheater!" Ban chuckled.

"Not a cheater. I only acted like that because I didn't want to be sent flying into the crowd of people." When he spun around his eyes fell on me. "You're the one that hit me." He yelled.

"It's not my fault you so rudely snuck up behind me." I pouted as my hands hastily lay on my hips. "And my names not 'YOU', its Arc, thank you very much." I stumped my foot while crossing my arms. "That reminds me-" I sharply swung a very threatening finger at Ban. "You were purposely trying to knock me out of the ring." He stared wide eyed at my hand for a moment before he snickered down at me.

"I was just curious as to how strong you were, that's all." A devil's like smile painted his face. "If you would've been sent flying out of the ring I would have been disappointed at myself. I would have thought ' _ah, man, I wasted my time on her'_. But you manage to keep me entertained for a good chunk of the fight." _Huh?_ "I should really be thanking ya." His hand slowly started to reach out towards me. I took up a defensive stance to prepare for some sort of attack, but he simply patted me on the head. "Thanks for playing with me." He smiled as he rubbed my head. I pulled away quickly before his hands bumped into my horns. Instinctively I ran my own hands over the area he touched. _What a strange individual?_ But for some reason I couldn't stop the smile that snuck its way in. Meliodas also seemed to be in good spirit, judging by his expression.

"Well then, here hoping that we all get the chance to enjoy the rest of this tournament." He prop his fist up in my direction and I eagerly joined him with my own. With a joyous laugh Ban also joined in. In unison we all turned to King who seemed hesitant to join us.

"Fine, but remember we're doing this so we can obtain Gideon." His tiny little hand joined into our circle. _Gideon? That giant hammer indented in the side of the boulder? Why would these three want something like that?_ I couldn't quite understand this strange bunch of males, but for some reason my instincts were telling me I could trust these three.

"I hope I get the chance to fight one of you guys." I smiled as my excitement started to bubble inside me. Two out of the three seem to agree with me, while the other glided away from the pack, seeming almost nervous. _I get the feeling that King doesn't really want to be here?_

"MAY I HAVE EVERYONES ATTENTION, PLEASE!?" Love Helm's high pitched voice bombed across the room and everyone's attention turned to him. "I have the results for the next round." I disconnected from Meliodas and Ban, waving bye, and stood next to the only other female contestant in the room. My heart was going a mile a minute from anticipation; I placed a shaky hand over it. "Here are the match-ups! First round will be… GRIAMOR VS. MATRONA!" At the mention of the females name I took it upon myself to encourage her.

"Good luck out there!" I smiled. To my surprise she turned towards me, her face covered by her oversized hat, and cracked a smiled. Thanking me with a quick head nod. _I'd like to get a chance to fight her. She seemed very strong out in the ring today._ I could feel my tail wag from under my cloak stirring with excitement.

"Next up is… ARC VS. TAIZOO!"

"EHHHHHHHHHHH!?" _What?_ I turned to stare at the freakishly overly confident bulky male. He threw me a very sarcastic smirk, my sensitive ears picking up the subtle ' _too easy_ ' under his breath. _Of course I get stuck fighting the muscle head_. Pissed, I threw him the stink eye and gave him the old 'you're-going-down' hand gesture. He didn't seem too pleased with my act and started turning an angry shade of red. _Good._

"After that we have… CAIN VS. OLD FART!" _Pfffffff… who entered with a name like that?_ I had to contain myself from laughing out loud. From the corner of my eye I notice Meliodas and Ban laughing at King. Could they have done it as a joke? Even the female beside me looked to be having a hard time keeping herself quiet from laughter, covering her giggles with her hand. "And last, but not least, we have… BAAN VS. MELIODAZ!" _D-Did I hear that wrong?_ Whether Love Helm pronounced their names right or wrong didn't seem to bother them. Meliodas and Ban looked extra happy that they were facing each other. "As for you, Hauser, since you pulled the black stick you'll be moving on to the next round, bruise free." Love Helm pointed his pen at him.

"Ah, come on, I wanna fight! Doesn't anyone want to trade spot with me?" Cried the blonde hair male as he seemed to finish having a very serious conversation with Meliodas' group. "Anyone at all?"

"All selection is final. Trading spots is not allowed in this tournament." Our helmed host huffed as he threatened to throw his pen at Hauser if he continued to whine. "Now that everyone has their partners for the fight, let us rejoin the crowd outside. I'm sure their patience is wearing thin."

 _My heart is roaring for a one-on-one fight right now! I can't wait!_

 **Hiyah! I'm back with another chapter! This one was kinda tricky since I had a hard time deciding what to do with an extra fighter. It was either go with what I wrote or ad three random new faces that won't really be significant to the story. I hope it doesn't sound to weird in the end, lol. Either way, i hope you continue to read along side with me as I continue this journey with Arc! XP Remember that reviews always lift the spirit and are always appreciated. Until next time. PEACE! XD**


	5. Chapter 4

_The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched – they must be felt with the heart - H_ _ **elen Keller**_

Chapter 4: A Female's Battle Heart

As everyone stepped from the small waiting room the sun came down on us hard. But not only that, it felt like a spotlight. It made me feel nervous, a little. But this is my chance to shine. I could feel all the eyes from the viewers. Watching us. Judging us. It my time—NO! It's all of us. Time to show the world what we're made of. Cutting through the crowd of spectators, us contestant circled the ring as the large mountain of a man, Griamor, and the other female fighter, Matrona, took their stance on opposite sides of the stage.

"LADIES AND GENTLEMEN! I kindly thank you for your patience." Our tiny helmed host said as he jumped atop some barrels and bow to the audience. "Our first official match will now begin." He shot his fist into the air and the crowded roar with excitement. "The first two contestants who will be competing against each other are GRIAMOR AND MATRONA!" He waved his hand in a flashy manor as he introduced the two. "To my right we have a giant whose body could be made out of steel! With his incredible strength, he'll crush all who stand in his way."

To my surprise the crowd seemed in favour of this male human, but his attention kept steering back behind him to a small female with purple hair in the crowd. _Could they be scheming something? They both look firmly determine about this fight. Does he think he's gunna win this easily?_ I pulled my focus back onto this 'Matrona' fighter and could tell she wasn't going to be throwing this match any time soon. I caught myself smirking. _My moneys on the girl._

"And to my left we have the beautiful, but slander, Matrona. Her hand might be small, but she'll pulverize as many contestants to make her way to the top." In favour I clapped my hands and secretly wished her good luck. They both seemed trained in combat so I was excited to see how this fight will turn out. "The win and move on to the next round your opponent must either be knocked from the ring or they may forfeits. Knocking them out cold is also allowed." _I could have sworn I just saw Love Helm chuckled?_ But something seemed to have also caught his attention. He leapt from his spot and shimmied on over to Matrona. "Excuse me, Miss! You can keep the hat, but the cape gotta go!We have to search you just in case you have any concealed weapons on ya."

 _WHAT!?_ I suddenly felt a chill run over me. _Will… Will I have to do the same?_ The answer is probably most yes. I bunched a fist full on my cloak and started to get anxious. _If I take this off… everyone will see me for who I am._ I gulped and could feel myself starting to sweat. _All those eyes… Will they judge me?_ I took a very shaky breath to try and calm myself down, but I could feel my heart hammering in my chest. I looked around and wondered if I was way in over my head. _Should I give up? Forfeit right before my match even starts?...huh?_ Just when I thought running away seemed like a good idea I spotted Meliodas across the stage from me. He was staring me down like he was trying to tell me something. He raised his right hand and flashed me a thumps up. Right then, I could almost hear what he was trying to tell me.

" _Don't be scared. Your gunna be great!"_ Throwing me a big cheesy grin to bout. My heart fluttered and I realized that he was right. I took a deep breath and felt a sudden calm wash over me. I raised my head with a new sense of pride and focused my thoughts back to the match at hand.

When I came back to my senses I notice that Matrona was now wearing a mini-skirt, a small frilly light pink top and a sharp looking gem around her neck. _Is that… a uniform?_ Sweet savory whistling could be heard all around me.

"Awesome!" Whistling.

"Hey, baby, when you finish losing this match why not come home and be my trophy?" Chirping.

"You can serve me anytime, sweet cheeks!" Howling.

At least there was one thing I did agree with most of these human males… she was pretty. Tall, thin and well toned. She truly was made for combat. _Now if I could just get a good look of her face?_

"Good! Now that that's all settle-" Love Helm hurried back to his spot on the pile of barrels, spinning around on one foot until he landed, facing forward, and pointed towards the fight. "Let the first match of the tournament BEGIN!?"

Without wasting a breath Matrona was on the move, didn't even give Griamor a second to register that the match even started. She wailed on him a flurry of strikes to the chest, never letting up. _She fast!_ I thought. But… wait? Griamor is standing there like it's not even affecting him. His abdomen started to change into a strange color. Then a sphere shaped itself around his body, pushing Matrona back. _What's going on? Is that some kind of power?_ Inside the sphere, he stood.

"This is my power… WALL!" He roared with his deep voice and the sphere around him started to expand. Matrona didn't seem to care much about his power and continued her restless assault, increase her speed in punches. But no matter how many punches she threw it wasn't breaking through his strange barrier. Instead it just kept expending, pushing her closer to the edge of the ring. "I'll simply push you out of the ring." He groaned. _That seems cheap._ A move like that would irritate me. And I could tell it was wearing her patience thin.

"I WON'T LET THAT HAPPEN…!" She screamed and I could suddenly sense power being focused into the palm of her right hand. With a single strike she shattered Griamor's Wall. Kicking speed into her feet, she sprinted in head long and uppercut him with all of her might. Griamor flew from the ring and landed somewhere in the distance fields of farm land in the area.

"Woah!" I couldn't believe the strength she carried. It was fascinating. I suddenly had a mighty need to go over and shake her hand… and fight her. _Here hoping I get the chance. Now I absolutely cannot lose my first match._ As she came to land on the ground her hat flew off her, long strands of flowing brown hair fanned down across her back. With a triumphant look she shot to her feet and pointed to the sky. Victory painted on her face as bright sparkling purples looked out to the audience.

"MATRONA IS THE WINNER!" Cried Love Helm, along with the crowd. "What an unexpected victory!" The roar of the crowd must have gotten to her. Her cheeks were lined with pink and she started twirling pieces of her hair between her fingers. She seemed happy. With a quick bow she started skipping towards Meliodas and the others. _This is my chance to talk to her before my match starts._ I didn't waste any time making my way over to the others.

When I finally squeezed my way through the crowd I found myself looking down to a cringing Meliodas. "What happened?" I asked confused.

"He just got himself a good beating by our girl over their!" Ban cackled as he smacked his knee, pointing towards King and Matrona who were on their way back to the small hut. A made a bee line towards them. As I approached I could see that Matrona looked hurt, almost sad. King seemed to be doing his best to cheer her up. _Are they friends?_ I must have been staring for too long, because they turned their attention to me.

"Ahhh…Ummm…" _Geez… now I feel like I was eavesdropping._ My ears flopped down in embarrassment under my cloak. "S-sorry for interrupting, but I just wanted to say how amazing your fight was." I scratched my chin nervously.

In a sudden rush, Matrona ran up to me. "REALLY!?" She beamed, her eyes sparkling with joy. Seeing her smile made me feel a little calmer.

"Yeah! You where phenomenal!" I chirped feeling the awkwardness fluttered away. "The names Arc!" I stretched out my hand. _Please, please, pleeeeeeeease, shake it!_

"Diane!" She reached out and accepted my hello. _Ekkkkk! She shaking it- Diane? Wait, what?_ "Heh heh heh." I must have been giving her ghost eyes since she started laughing at me. "I guess it my turn to apologize. Matrona was just a stage name. I thought it was the most… appropriate action at the time of the event, heh!" She suddenly pulled me in closer. _Strong grip._ "But promise me you'll keep addressing me as so. Kinda playing an undercover game." She whispered close to my hooded ears. _Aren't we both?_

"Your secret is safe with me." A gave her a thumps up while grinning. "By the way… why is there a tiny person in your boobs?" With an obvious sweat drop she stepped back and looked away, cautiously searching around to make sure no one was looking, before pulling away her dress scarf.

"This is Elizabeth." She introduced the small human between her bosoms. She had long silver hair and shiny sea blue eyes… well the one she could tell that wasn't covered by her bangs. She gave me a quick wave before shying back further into Diane's chest. "Long story short… we got spore by a giant mushroom." She nervously laughed before tucking her dress scarf back into place. _A mushroom that makes you shrink? That sounds like a hassle… Did she say WE?_

"WILL OUR NEXT CONTESTANTS MAKE THEIR WAY TO THE RING? I REPEAT! GET YOUR BUTTS OVER HERE!" Shouted Love Helm from afar. _It's my turn…_

"Good luck out there, kay!" Cheered Diane as she gave me a hard smack to the back, knocking the wind out of me. "I'll be watching."

"Thanks!" I smiled. "Gotta show the world that we females ain't no push over." I gave her a thumps up before dashing back towards the ring.

From the distant I caught Diane screaming "KICK HIS ASS!?" which only made me feel more confident. With a skip in my jump I finally made it to the centre of the stage.

"Thank you for joining us, little miss. Now that everyone is present we can begin our next round." He turned his back on me to face the audience. "LADIES AND GENTLEMEN! IT'S TIME FOR OUR SECOND FIGHT!" He screamed along with the crowd. "To my right we have our three year running champion, TAIZOO!" From what I could tell the people of Baizel where about 50/50 on him. Some showed signs of favouritism and others seem to be giving him a dirty grimace. "And to my left is our tiny little newcomer who thinks she got what it takes to win this tournament, ARC!" _Woah…_ All around me most of the crowd was laughing. "Before we begin I'd like to address that you, little miss, must remove your cloak. Safety is mandatory."

 _Badump…_ I gulped, feeling nervous. _"I'm scared… What will everyone think of me? No! NO!_ I shook my head. _I mustn't get discouraged._ With a deep breath I grasped my cloak and pulled it off. Within seconds the crowd fell silent. Underneath my cloak I was wearing a makeshift outfit I crafted myself. With no proper sewing material I had to improvise. Using pine needles and hair from different animals I was able to mend a used rice bag, I found flying in the wind one day, into some kind of tattered shirt and the fur of rabbit and hares I hunted to make a hunters kilt, which was held up tight around my waist by some ivy. My cloak was a parting gift from an old acquaintance of mine, being the only nice item in my possession. I could only wish that the reaction to the crowd was because of my poor attire...

"What… is she?" Whispered someone in the audience.

"She ain't human." Grumbled an old man.

"Is she some kind of monster?" Whimpered a young female.

 _And there it is… The one word I hate the most. MONSTER!_ To afraid to face the crowd I pulled my gaze down, shivering from shame.

"Mommy, look! It's that lady with the fluffy tail who saved me!" _Huh?_ I perked up and turned towards the sound of a small child observing in the crowd behind me. "HI FLUFFY TAILED LADY!?" _Is that Timothy?_ It was and he was there with his mother Marie-Anne. He was waving at me, a huge smile painted his face.

"Good luck, Miss! We're cheering for you!" _They came to watch me? I though she told me these tournaments where barbaric?_ Marie-Anne shouted loudly over the judging crowd, lifting her son up in her arms so he could see the match better.

"You can do it, Arc! Kick his butt!" Shouted Diane from my left.

"Go get him, Tiger!" Chuckled Ban.

"You've got this!" Meliodas gave me a reassuring nod, but kept a stern look on his face. He looked calculative.

 _They believe in me?_

"Hmph! Doesn't matter if you're a human or an animal." Barked Taizoo. "I'm gunna bring you down." He pointed his fat finger threateningly in my direction.

"Heh heh…" I chuckled. From under my bangs I could see Taizoo giving me a questionable look. He probably though I was going insane. In truth… I was! I was INSANELY happy. To know that these people, these complete strangers I only met just today, have faith in me… is more than enough. I lifted my face, but this time my expression wasn't one of shame. It was of pride and hope. _I can do this. Who cares what these spectators think, because as long as they trust me… it's all that matters._ With my spirit burning brightly in my core I faced Taizoo with an even snarkier look then his own. "You? Take down me? HAH! I'll make sure, when I toss you out of the ring, that I aim you in the direction of the local infirmary. I even gave them an advance notice to leave the front door open, for ya. Aren't I considerate?" I made sure to put on my best taunting face, seeming all innocence, while being cute. My Master used to do it all the time. I guess it rubbed off on me. I must have hit a nerve since Taizoo's face was changing between different shades of purple, pink and red.

"I WILL NOT GO EASY ON YOU!" He roared.

"Perfect!" I hissed while licking my lips in anticipation.

 **HEY EVERYONE! Sorry for the long absent I was really ill and it took me a while to recover. But with lots of rest and some very helpful friends I am feeling better then ever. I'm still not 100% so the updates still might be a little late, but do not fear, I am still motivated to right this story. I would also like to thank everyone for your patience and support. It was thanks to my dedicated viewers that I was spirited to keep writing this dream of mine. Anywho, enough sobby chit-chat, I hope you enjoy this chapter and others to come. Don't forget to R &R! PEACE! XP**


End file.
